Were you contacted about the 2024-25 TFS/PFS? Please contact ntps@census.gov or 1-888-595-1338 for more information.
Questions about the survey? Click here for TFS/PFS participant information!
National Teacher and Principal Survey logo
National Teacher and Principal Survey
Back Arrow  List of Tables Download Excel Excel File (15 KB) Download SE Excel Excel File (14 KB)

Number of 2015–16 public school principals and percentage distribution of public school principals, by 2016–17 status and selected principal or school characteristics: 2016–17

      Percent
Principal or school characteristic in 2015–16 Total1   Stayers   Movers   Leavers   Other  
All public schools 86,180   82.2   6.0   9.8   2.0  
                     
Age                    
Less than 45 years 34,610   84.5   7.7   6.2   1.6  
45–54 years 31,910   84.4   5.4   8.1   2.1  
55 years or more 19,670   74.4   4.1   18.8   2.7  
                     
Sex                    
Male 39,280   82.7   6.4   8.9   1.9  
Female 46,900   81.7   5.7   10.5   2.1  
                     
Race/ethnicity                    
Hispanic or Latino, of any race 7,010   79.1   7.5   10.1   3.3 !
White, not Hispanic or Latino 67,750   82.5   5.6   10.0   1.9  
Black, not Hispanic or Latino 8,490   81.9   7.9   8.9   1.3 !
American Indian/Alaska Native,
    not Hispanic or Latino		 1,240   84.9   6.7 ! ‡   ‡  
Asian, not Hispanic or Latino 190   88.4   #   ‡   ‡  
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific
    Islander, not Hispanic or Latino		 560   82.4   ‡   ‡   ‡  
Two or more races, not Hispanic
    or Latino		 940   80.0   ‡   10.3 ! #  
                     
Salary                    
Less than $60,000 3,270   76.5   3.0 ! 15.7   4.8 !
$60,000–$79,999 18,270   81.0   6.3   10.4   2.2  
$80,000–$99,999 30,350   82.9   6.4   9.3   1.4  
$100,000 or more 34,290   82.7   5.9   9.3   2.2  
                     
Highest degree                    
Bachelor's degree or less 1,840   72.5   6.5 ! 10.9 ! 10.1 !
Master's degree 52,910   82.7   6.2   9.2   1.8  
Educational specialist or
    professional diploma2		 23,030   83.7   5.8   9.0   1.5  
Doctorate or first professional degree 8,410   76.7   5.6   15.0   2.7  
                     
Years of experience as a principal at 2015–16 school                    
Less than 3 years 42,440   82.5   6.5   8.8   2.2  
3–5 years 22,260   83.1   5.6   9.8   1.5  
6–9 years 12,050   81.9   7.1   9.3   1.6  
10 years or more 9,430   78.9   3.5   14.7   2.9 !
                     
Years of experience as a principal at any school                    
Less than 3 years 26,450   83.4   6.6   7.7   2.2  
3–5 years 19,830   84.5   6.2   7.8   1.5  
6–9 years 17,290   83.6   5.8   8.8   1.9  
10 years or more 22,600   77.6   5.4   14.7   2.2  
                     
Years of experience as a teacher prior to becoming a principal                    
Less than 5 years 6,200   77.3   9.0   10.7   2.9 !
5–9 years 30,210   84.6   6.0   7.6   1.9  
10–14 years 25,480   82.8   6.5   8.7   2.0  
15 years or more 24,290   79.8   4.8   13.5   1.9  
                     
School classification                    
Traditional public 79,440   82.5   6.2   9.4   1.9  
Charter school 6,750   78.3   4.7   13.8   3.2  
                     
Community type                    
City 23,320   81.0   7.5   10.0   1.5  
Suburban 27,730   83.2   6.2   8.6   1.9  
Town 11,810   85.1   4.7   8.1   2.1  
Rural 23,330   80.7   5.0   11.8   2.5  
                     
School level                    
Primary 48,420   82.1   6.6   9.4   1.9  
Middle 13,190   81.7   7.3   9.2   1.9  
High 16,990   84.4   4.4   9.3   1.9  
Combined 7,580   78.4   3.8   14.6   3.2  
                     
Student enrollment                    
Less than 100 6,140   77.2   3.0 ! 14.3   5.4 !
100–199 6,920   78.3   7.7   11.5   2.6 !
200–499 34,020   82.5   6.7   9.4   1.4  
500–749 22,070   83.7   6.1   8.8   1.4  
750–999 8,710   82.5   5.4   9.3   2.8  
1,000 or more 8,320   83.5   4.6   9.7   2.2  
                     
Percent of K–12 students who were approved for free or reduced–price lunches                    
0–34 23,720   85.2   5.1   7.9   1.7  
35–49 11,590   83.2   5.0   10.8   1.0 !
50–74 18,360   82.9   7.1   8.5   1.5  
75 or more 27,800   79.3   7.2   10.9   2.5  
School did not participate in free or reduced-price lunch program 4,720   78.7   2.0 ! 14.7   4.5 !
# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 percent and 50 percent (i.e., the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).
‡ Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is 50 percent or more of the estimate).
1 These estimates do not include 4.7 percent of the 2015–16 principals about whom no information was available in 2016–17.
2 At least 1 year beyond the master's level.
NOTE: "Stayers" are principals who were principals in the same school in the current school year as in the base year (2015–16) "Movers" are principals who were still principals in the current school year but had moved to a different school after the base year (2015–16). "Leavers" are principals who were no longer principals after the base year (2015–16). "Other" includes principals who had left their base-year (2015–16) school, but for whom it was not possible to determine a mover or leaver status in the current school year. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and because some data are not shown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), "Public School Principal Data File," 2015–16; and Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), "Public School Principal Status Data File," 2016–17.

Back Arrow  List of Tables Download Excel Excel File (15 KB) Download SE Excel Excel File (14 KB)